In this special episode, Matt welcomes back Phillip Smyth just days after his last appearance to analyze another major development in the Middle East: the assassination of Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, in a targeted Israeli airstrike. Nasrallah’s death has sent shockwaves across Lebanon, Iran, and the wider network of Iran-backed militias, raising pressing questions about Hezbollah’s future and its role in regional power dynamics.

Phillip returns to help unpack the key players, their motives, and the potential fallout from this strike. Together, they examine Israel’s strategic objectives, Iran’s retaliatory actions, and the broader implications for the already fragile situation in the Middle East. They also explore the ongoing Israeli ground offensive and Iran’s ballistic missile strikes in response.

It’s a rapidly evolving situation, so join Phillip and Matt as they break down the latest developments and consider what might come next.

Phillip’s work for West Point’s Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/.

Phillip’s work at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth

Follow Phillip on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth

"Iran’s Strikes on Israel Look Calculated to Shore Up Regional Alliance" by Erika Solomon | The New York Times

"A Wider War in the Middle East, From Hamas to Hezbollah and Now Iran" by David E. Sanger | The New York Times

"Israel Has Destroyed Half of Hezbollah’s Arsenal, US and Israeli Officials Say" by Edward Wong, Julian E. Barnes & Eric Schmitt | The New York Times

"Deep intelligence penetration enabled Israel to kill Hassan Nasrallah" by Dan Sabbagh | The Guardian

"How Israel's bitter 2006 war with Hezbollah could shape possible Lebanon invasion" by Robert Tollast | The National

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